AGLP supports enactment of federal legislation to enhance maritime security and protect America’s commercial ports from acts of terrorism.

Ninety five percent of U.S. overseas trade is handled by the nation’s seaports. A terrorist act at one of America’s major ports could severely disrupt commerce, negatively impact the economy and cripple critical industries.

Seaport security should be a partnership between local authorities and federal agencies such as the Coast Guard and Customs Service. AGLP supports enhanced funding for these federal agencies to carry out this mission. Furthermore, AGLP supports continuation and expansion of the port security grant program enacted by Congress in 2001.

Great Lakes ports tend to handle low risk cargo such as bulk grain, coal, iron ore, limestone, salt, etc. Therefore, AGLP supports security regulations that are risk-based, flexible and are able to respond to local conditions.

Great Lakes Navigation Study

AGLP supports a comprehensive review of Great Lakes navigation infrastructure that will result in a long range plan for the system’s future. AGLP encourages a full and equal partnership between Canada and the United States in this effort.

The Great Lakes Navigation Study was authorized by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1999. The study is to review the navigation improvements on the Great Lakes, such as harbors, connecting channels, locks, etc. and make recommendations to Congress for their maintenance and improvement. Over the past two years, the Army Corps of Engineers and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation have been working on the “reconnaissance study” phase of that effort.

In mid-2002, the “feasibility study” phase of the project is expected to begin. AGLP supports the inclusion of $2 million in the FY’03 Energy & Water Appropriation Bill for this purpose.

Since the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System is a binational waterway, Canadian participation in the study is critical. In fact, over eighty percent of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s infrastructure is in Canadian territory. AGLP believes that Canada has to be a full and equal partner in the study effort for it’s final recommendations to have any legitimacy. AGLP opposes the United States moving forward on the study unilaterally.

Soo Locks

AGLP supports construction of a new lock on the St. Marys River at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.

The U.S. and Canadian lock complex at Sault Ste Marie has connected Lakes Superior and Huron for nearly 150 years. In 1986, Congress authorized the construction of a new large lock to modernize the facility. The project stalled for a number of years due to difficulties related to local cost sharing. In 1999, the Great Lakes Commission was successful in helping to negotiate a cost sharing agreement between the eight Great Lakes states. In FY’02 Congress appropriated $1.5 million in the Army Corps of Engineers’ construction budget to initiate work on the project. AGLP supports an appropriation of $8 million of construction funds for the project in the FY’03 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.

Aquatic Nuisance Species

AGLP supports a national approach to the control of ANS. AGLP supports reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act of 1996.

When not fully loaded, vessels must take on water - or ballast - to maintain their stability. In some cases, ballast water contains aquatic organisms which may be harmful to the environment. Since 1994, ocean-going vessels transiting the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway have been required to exchange ballast at sea, prior to entering the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ballast exchange has been identified as one means of reducing the likelihood of transfer of non-indigenous species.

In recent years, state and provincial governments in the Great Lakes region and elsewhere have become impatient with the federal response to this problem. A number of state legislatures have enacted their own ballast water legislation.

AGLP opposes state regulation of interstate and international shipping and believes that conflicting state statutes will lead to a chaotic regulatory environment that will cripple the shipping industry. AGLP endorses a strong, uniform federal approach to the protection of the Great Lakes - and all U.S. waters - from invasive species via ballast water. AGLP urges that Congress adopt such an approach while reauthorizing the National Invasive Species Act in 2002.

Pilotage

AGLP supports the adoption of a more cost effective pilotage system that improves the efficiency and safety of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. AGLP supports strong oversight of the pilotage authorities for the benefit of both industry and pilots.

Vessels transiting the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system are required to bring expert pilots onboard to assist with navigation. Currently, different geographic segments of the system are governed by different “pilotage pools,” some in the U.S., some in Canada. In the U.S. pilotage services are provided by private companies or partnerships, each of which is regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. In Canada, pilots are employed by the government. The current system is confusing, costly and reduces the competitiveness of the Great Lakes.

In August of 2001, AGLP submitted a proposal to the U.S. Coast Guard to reorganize and modernize the pilotage system on the Great Lakes and asked that it be published in the Federal Register for public comment. (The proposal can be viewed at the Department of Transportation web site: http://dms.dot.gov, Docket #10884) AGLP urges the U.S. Coast Guard to move forward on that proposal.

Cargo Preference

AGLP supports changes in law to eliminate the harmful effects of cargo preference policies on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System.

Cargo Preference laws require that U.S. government cargoes be shipped on U.S.-flag vessels. Such vessels are registered in the U.S., crewed by U.S. citizens and meet U.S. maritime regulatory requirements.

Unfortunately, the companies that operate ocean-going U.S. flag vessels do not provide service to the Great Lakes. Thus, Great Lakes ports are unable to handle the shipment of most U.S. government cargoes.

AGLP supports expansion of Section 17 of the Maritime Security Act of 1996, which modified contracting procedures for the procurement of U.S. Government food aid shipments to mitigate the effects of cargo preference on Great Lakes ports and port labor.